Share this article

Mark Knowles, prosecuting, told how Mr Hopkinson was knocked to the ground and kicked while he was unconscious.

Mr Knowles said: ‘He was kicked by both defendants and a witness said it was like the volleying of a football and involved a stamping on the head.’

Speaking after the case, Mr Hopkinson said: ‘There was so much blood. It was unreal.

‘My t-shirt and jeans were covered. I had
my head on this girl’s lap while I was coming round afterwards and her
legs were covered in blood too.

Stitched up: Mr Hopkinson (left and right) was knocked to the ground and kicked while he was unconscious

‘I had cuts on my face, swelling to my
left check but my right eyebrow was the worst - it was nearly coming
off. I had to hold it on so it didn’t peel away with all the blood
running down my face.

‘A few people from the area told me it looked like there had been a murder because there was so much blood in the road.

'My
right eyebrow was the worst - it was nearly coming off. I had to hold
it on so it didn’t peel away with all the blood running down my face'

Chris Hopkinson

‘I came round and thought I
was alright, I told the police officer I was going to go home and he
said you’re not going anywhere. He showed me a picture of my injuries
and I was so shocked.’

Mr
Hopkinson, who was treated at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and wants to
be a traffic police officer, explained Hardy and Humphrey attacked his
friends before turning on him.

The
teenager struggled through his A-Level exams just two days after the
bloodbath with dizziness and headaches - and has been forced to re-do
his studies to get better grades.

Mr Hopkinson said: ‘After it happened I
woke and it hurt and I couldn’t open my eyes because of the swelling. I
was attacked on a Friday and my exams started on the Monday.

Sentenced: Reece Hardy (left), 18, and Jordon Humphrey (right), 19, admitted two counts of assault and one of causing grievous bodily harm. Hardy was locked up for 22 months and Humphrey was given 20 months

‘But every time I looked at the exam paper I got dizzy. Now I’m going to still be at school while all my friends go off to university.

‘I didn’t feel comfortable going out by myself or going to parties - and when I got back to playing cricket for Staveley Miners’ Welfare, I wasn’t at my best.

'What you (Reece Hardy and Jordon Humphrey) did was terrible. All you have to do is look at the photographs of this young man - look at the scarring'

Judge John Burgess

‘But I am pleased these two have been dealt with, and now they have been sentenced I want to put it all behind me and get on with my life.’

Sarah Brown, defending Hardy, who was locked up for 22 months, said in court that it was a combination of immaturity and alcohol, adding that he was ashamed and acted out of character.

Will Bennett, defending Humphrey, who was given a 20-month sentence, said he was drunk and was sickened by what he had done. Neither had previous convictions.

Judge John Burgess said: ‘What you (Hardy and Humphrey) did was terrible. All you have to do is look at the photographs of this young man - look at the scarring.

‘He will have to endure comments. People ask him what happened and he feels people who don’t know him question whether he is trouble.’

Advertisement

Share or comment on this article:

Student, 18, has his eyebrow kicked off in savage unprovoked attack by two teenagers